Healthy Eating While Traveling: It Can Be Done!

Today we welcome Cole Millen who’s going to talk about staying healthy while travelling, and how to do it wherever you go:

The horizon is looking sunnier for the health-conscious traveler. Hotels and resorts are always looking for revenue-boosting schemes, especially as the traveling dollar of the average tourist becomes harder to get. They are designing more nutritious business banquets, restaurant fare, room service menus and min-bar options. The popularity of special diets is pushing much of this change as more people go paleo, gluten free and vegetarian. Smaller portions are becoming the norm on more hotel menus, and some hotel chains brand themselves around using locally sourced or organic foods. So how to sort the legit stuff from the “tourist bait” and stay healthy while travelling?

When Flying

Flying has always been tricky for travelers watching their weight. The food options in airport terminals relied on coffee, pastries and chain burgers. Flyers trapped in the terminal faced few good options. Experienced travelers learned to eat a healthy meal prior to going to the airport, and packed their own healthy snacks for when they get a craving. Airports are doing a better job at offering healthy food options but it is still important to find the grilled chicken and salads whenever possible. Travelers intent on maintaining their weight and health should stay active during delays and layovers. Walk in the terminal, do some stair climbing or otherwise burn some calories. Avoiding alcohol in-flight is a good way to avoid calories. Drink water throughout the flight rather than soda or juices to curb hunger and dehydration. Skip the in-flight meal and pack a healthy meal of a sandwich, fresh veggies and a bottle of water instead.

Finding a healthy Hotel

Stay at a health friendly hotel if possible. A little online research during the trip planning stage saves calories and pounds. Read the hotel description on-line before booking a room. Usually the restaurant menus and other items are available on the website. Some also list nearby restaurants, so research the dining options that will be available. Often time’s hotels are misleading in their services and offerings. I recently found a great and informative site that made finding the right hotel easy. I was looking for hotels and found a great site that listed reviews for Las Vegas hotels called Gogobot. The site listed reviews regarding not only the hotels amenities and services, but also regarding the restaurants in the surrounding area as well as things to do. This made it so simple to not only find the right hotel but also to plan out the restaurants and things we could do and maintain our healthy lifestyle while away.

At your Hotel

Once at the hotel, travelers have the option of refusing the mini-bar key. This will help prevent those late night raids that are costly to the wallet and the waistline. Bring along packages of instant soup or oatmeal and plastic spoons. These meals can be made by heating water in the coffee maker and mixing the meal in a coffee cup.

If ordering room service, specify low fat or healthy cooking methods, and order the healthiest meal available on the menu. Select fruit, yogurt and whole grain cereal or toast at breakfast rather than a raspberry cheese Danish. Stay away from vending machines, unless they contain healthy food choices. Most hotels are surrounded by restaurants ranging from fast food to gourmet fare. Avoid the all-you-can-eat buffet and the fast food places. Pick somewhere with a varied menu to get a healthy meal. Utilize the hotel’s booklet of nearby restaurants and peruse the menus before leaving the room. Have healthy snacks such as fruit in the hotel room to take the edge off pre-meal hunger.

Finally, use the exercise room provided at the hotel. Take the stairs if it is reasonable to do so. Swim some laps in the hotel pool before taking a dip in the hot tub. Find the in-room yoga channel and complete a routine between the business meetings and the banquet meal. Take advantage of the exercise opportunities offered rather than using business or vacation travel as an excuse to leave the diet and exercise regimen behind.

Eating Out

At a restaurant, look for healthy words such as baked, boiled, broiled, fat free, fresh, grilled, high fiber, light, marinated, multi grain, roasted, steamed, stir fried, vegetarian, vinaigrette, and whole wheat in the menu descriptions. Avoid any food listed as stuffed, smothered, loaded, breaded or fried. Choose leaner cuts of meat and eat vegetables instead of simple carbohydrate side dishes. Use basic dieting and weight management knowledge at a restaurant and at home.

Cole Millen is an avid Traveler and foodie, we enjoin you to discover his blog where he shares his experiences on traveling and the quest of staying healthy.